"Farmers, for one reason or another, often received mixed messages regarding market requirements in terms of carcase weight and conformation" said Dumfries and Galloway sheep producer Marcus Maxwell at a conference on lamb marketing held at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.

Delegates at the conference, organised by the farmer-owned livestock marketing co-operative Farm Stock (Scotland) Ltd, then heard Mr Maxwell make the simple plea: "Pay us for the quality you want."

Mr Maxwell went on to say: "I am experiencing the same problems selling lambs nowadays as when I first started 30 years ago. We farmers have got to do something about issues like out-of-spec lambs.

"Currently we are receiving mixed messages from further up the chain, and it doesn't help. I would urge the abattoirs to pay more for the in-spec lambs and heavily penalise the out-of-spec ones."

Steve McLean, head of agriculture and fisheries at the retailer Marks & Spencer later gave an announcement within his presentation that in future all lamb sold in his Scottish stores would be Scotch Lamb.

However, in order to secure consistency of supply from Scottish sheep farmers, Mr Mclean echoed earlier comments regarding hitting target specs saying: "We find 15-18 per cent of lambs arrive too heavy and therefore out-of-spec. The fact is quite simply that if a lamb is too big it won't fit in retail packs."

Market round-up

United Auctions sold 612 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 262.3p per kg and an average of 204p (+2p on the week), while 1049 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 258.1p and levelled at 206.1p (-2.1p). One-hundred-and-forty store, B&W bullocks sold to 192.4p and averaged 139.7p (-0.8p).

In the rough ring 156 beef cows sold to £1070 per head and 175p per kg to average 119.2p (-0.6p), while nine dairy cows peaked at £775 and 106.9p to level at 85.6p (-1.4p).

C&D Auction Marts Ltd had 24 prime cattle forward in Dumfries on Wednesday when heifers sold to 215.6p per kg and averaged 195.9p, while bullocks peaked at 202.5p and levelled at 189.8p.

There were 71 OTM cattle presented in the rough ring when beef cows sold to £1144.25 and 157p to average 107.9p, while dairy cows peaked at £677.60 and 88p to level at 88p.

The firm also sold 1084 prime lambs to a top of £88 per head and 190p per kg to average 165p (-1.4p on the week).

A nice show of 558 cast sheep saw heavy ewes sell to £114.50 for Texels and average £65.35 (+£6.51), while light ewes peaked at £53.50 for Blackfaces and levelled at £41.07 (+33p).